1  A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

1  A fair name is better than much wealth, and good favour is above silver and gold.

2  The rich and the poor meet together--YHWH is the maker of them all.

3  A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the thoughtless pass on, and are punished.

3  An intelligent man seeing a bad man severely punished is himself instructed, but fools pass by and are punished.

3  The clever saw evil and hid himself. The innocent continued on and was afflicted with damage.

4  The reward of humility is the fear of YHWH, even riches, and honour, and life.

4  The fear of the Lord is the offspring of wisdom, and wealth, and glory, and life.

5  Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward; he that keepeth his soul holdeth himself far from them.

5  Thistles and snares are in perverse ways; but he that keeps his soul will refrain from them.

6  Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old, he will not depart from it.

6  The proverb is: A youth is close to his way; even when he is old, he will not withdraw from it.

7  The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

7  The rich will rule over the poor, and servants will lend to their own masters.

7  The rich shall be ruled by the poor, and the servant shall loan to his former lender.

8  He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity; and the rod of his wrath shall fail.

8  He that sows wickedness shall reap troubles; and shall fully receive the punishment of his deeds. God loves a cheerful and liberal man; but a man shall fully prove the folly of his works.

8  Whoever sows iniquity will reap evils, and by the rod of his own wrath he will be consumed.

9  He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

9  He that has pity on the poor shall himself be maintained; for he has given of his own bread to the poor. He that gives liberally secures victory and honour; but he takes away the life of them that posses them.

9  Whoever is inclined to mercy shall be blessed, for from his bread he has given to the poor. Whoever gives gifts will acquire victory and honor. But he carries away the soul of the receiver.

10  Cast out the scorner, and contention will go out; yea, strife and shame will cease.

10  Cast out a pestilent person from the council, and strife shall go out with him; for when he sits in the council he dishonours all.

10  Destroy evil, cast out strife, do away with contention and reproach, lest they sit in the assembly and reproach all who are present.

11  He that loveth pureness of heart, that hath grace in his lips, the king shall be his friend.

11  The Lord loves holy hearts, and all blameless persons are acceptable with him: a king rules with his lips.

11  Whoever loves cleanness of heart, because of the grace of his lips, will have the king as his friend.

12  The eyes of YHWH preserve him that hath knowledge, but He overthroweth the words of the faithless man.

12  But the eyes of the Lord preserve discretion; but the transgressor despises wise words.

12  The eyes of the Lord watch over knowledge. And the words of the iniquitous are supplanted.

13  The sluggard saith: 'There is a lion without; I shall be slain in the streets.'

13  The sluggard makes excuses, and says, There is a lion in the ways, and murderers in the streets.

13  When he is sent on an errand, the sluggard says, There is a lion on the road! and, Behold, there is murder in the streets!

14  The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of YHWH shall fall therein.

14  The mouth of a transgressor is a deep pit; and he that is hated of the Lord shall fall into it. Evil ways are before a man, and he does not like to turn away from them; but it is needful to turn aside from a perverse and bad way.

14  The mouth of a foreign woman is a deep pit; the Lord was angry with him who will fall into it.

15  Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

15  Folly is attached to the heart of a child, but the rod and instruction are then far from him.

15  Foolishness has been bound to the heart of a child, and a rod of discipline shall cause it to flee.

16  One may oppress the poor, yet will their gain increase; one may give to the rich, yet will want come.

16  He who oppresses the poor adds to his evil; and he who gives to the rich, shall suffer a loss.

17  Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart unto my knowledge.

17  Incline your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Then apply your heart to my doctrine.

18  For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; let them be established altogether upon thy lips.

18  that thou mayest know that they are good: and if thou lay them to heart, they shall also gladden thee on thy lips.

18  It shall be beautiful to you, if you preserve it in your inner self, and it shall overflow from your lips,

19  That thy trust may be in YHWH, I have made them known to thee this day, even to thee.

19  so that your confidence may be in the Lord. Therefore, I also have revealed it to you this day.

19  That your trust may be in the LORD, I have made these things known to you this day, even to you.

20  Have not I written unto thee excellent things of counsels and knowledge;

20  And do thou too repeatedly record them for thyself on the table of thine heart, for counsel and knowledge.

20  Behold, I have written it for you in three ways, and with meditations and knowledge,

21  That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou mightest bring back words of truth to them that send thee?

21  so that I might reveal to you, firmly and with words of truth, in order to respond about these things to those who sent you.

22  Rob not the weak, because he is weak, neither crush the poor in the gate;

22  Do no violence to the poor, for he is needy: neither dishonour the helpless man in the gates.

22  Do not act with violence toward the pauper because he is poor. And do not weary the needy at the gate.

23  For YHWH will plead their cause, and despoil of life those that despoil them.

23  For the Lord will plead his cause, and thou shalt deliver thy soul in safety.

24  Make no friendship with a man that is given to anger; and with a wrathful man thou shalt not go;

24  Be not companion to a furious man; neither lodge with a passionate man

24  Do not be willing to be a friend to an angry man, and do not walk with a furious man,

25  Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

25  lest perhaps you learn his ways, and take up a stumbling block to your soul.

25  Lest you learn his ways and find a stumbling block to your soul.

26  Be thou not of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts;

26  Become not surety from respect of a man’s person.

26  Do not be willing to be with those who certify with their hands, and who offer themselves as a guarantee against debts.

27  If thou hast not wherewith to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

27  For if those have not whence to give compensation, they will take the bed that is under thee.

28  Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

28  Do not cross beyond the ancient limits that your fathers have set.

29  Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

29  It is fit that an observant man and one diligent in his business should attend on kings, and not attend on slothful men.

29  Have you seen a man swift in his work? He shall stand in the sight of kings, and not before those who are disreputable.